Immigration officials grilled over U.S. citizen deaths during oversight hearing
WASHINGTON— Leaders of the agencies implementing President Trump’s immigration crackdown faced tough questioning on Capitol Hill on Tuesday; A Democratic lawmaker asked the ICE chief if he would apologize to the families of two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents and named domestic terrorists by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Todd Lyons, acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, declined to apologize to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during the hearing, but said he welcomed the opportunity to speak privately with Good’s family.
“I will not speak to any ongoing investigation,” Lyons said.
For the first time since the federal operation in Minneapolis that led to the deaths of Good and Pretti, the heads of three immigration agencies testified before the House Homeland Security Committee.
In addition to Lyons, other witnesses included U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott. Their agencies are affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security.
Democrats and some Republicans have called for greater oversight of the Trump administration’s immigration operations since the shootings of Good and Pretti, both 37, by federal agents last month.
Following the shootings, the administration replaced Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol official who led the attack in Minneapolis, with border policy adviser Tom Homan, a former ICE official. Authorities also withdrew some agents and began requiring those in Minneapolis to wear body cameras.
“We must lower the temperature and look at the record of enforcement actions with rational eyes,” said Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-R.Y.), the committee chairman.
Garbarino asked for a commitment from ICE and CBP leaders to provide the committee with all reports and findings of the investigations into the shootings of Good and Pretti when they are concluded. Scott and Lyons agreed.
Scott, the CBP commissioner, told committee members that police officers are facing an unprecedented increase in attacks by individuals interfering with law enforcement actions. He said these actions were “coordinated and well-funded.”
“This is not a peaceful protest,” he said.
Lyons, the ICE leader, told lawmakers that his agency has removed more than 475,000 people from the United States and arrested nearly 379,000 since President Trump returned to the White House. He said the agency has hired more than 12,000 officers and agents.
He condemned so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE and public officials’ rhetoric against ICE.
Lyons testified that 3,000 of the 13,000 ICE agents wear body cameras. Scott estimated that about 10,000 of 20,000 Border Patrol agents are wearing cameras, adding “we’re building out that program.”
The agency’s leaders faced intense questioning from Democrats on the committee, including those from California.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) asked Lyons about his comment last year that the deportation process should work “like Amazon Prime, but with people.”
Lyons said the comment was taken out of context.
“I said we need to be more efficient at removing individuals from the United States, because ICE doesn’t detain people punitively; we detain people to remove them,” he said. “I don’t want to see people in custody”
“So, speaking of people, how many times has Amazon Prime shot a nurse in the back 10 times?” Swawell responded.
Swalwell asked how many agents had been fired for their behavior under Lyons’ leadership. Lyons said he would get that data.
“Can you tell us at least — God, I hope at least one person has been fired for their behavior since these operations began?” Swalwell said. he said.
Lyons said he would not talk about personnel.
It was Swalwell who asked Lyons if he would apologize to Good and Pretti’s families. He also asked if Lyons would resign from ICE. Lyons retreated.
Rep. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) questioned Lyons about whether carrying a U.S. passport is enough to prevent people from being detained or deported. What was found in ProPublica’s October report more than 170 Examples of US citizens detained in raids or protests.
Lyons said US citizens should not feel the need to carry their passports.
“No American citizen will be arrested just because they are an American citizen,” Lyons said.
Correa said a number of U.S. citizens had been detained in his predominantly Latino district, some for several days.
Lyons said he was not aware of any cases of American citizens being detained.
“Are you spying on US citizens today?” Correa asked.
Lyons said there is no database of protesters.
“I can assure you there is no database tracking citizens,” he said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
